Hospital

My surgery was on a Friday, March 8, 2013. It was an outpatient surgery. My trip at the hosptial from start to finish was actually shorter than many ER trips I've made before and I was pleasantly surprised. Prior to surgery I was nervous, but nervous that my surgery would be postponed due to being ill. I knew the only way to get healthy again was to have the surgery. Once I got done with all of the pre-operative information, had my IV in, and was moved to the pre-op holding area I was ecstatic. 

On the day of surgery I still had my rash. The picture in my earlier blog with the hat was the night before my surgery. My throat pain had increased a little as well after I stopped the levaquin. I also felt I had some minor post-nasal drip. I also was nervous I would have a fever that would stop my surgery. It was about 99 at the hospital. 

Here is a Step by Step of my Day at the Hospital (I've tried to keep it as detailed as possible for those that have never had surgery) :

1. Registration

• Registered with the main desk, brought to waiting area. 
• From the waiting area I was taken with my parents to the pre-op room.

    2.  Pre-Op/Registration Room

• Reviewed information taken from previous phone call interview with hospital prior to my surgery. Reviewed my medications (brought a list with me).
• Changed into gown
• Vitals taken.
• Due to my history of MRSA was given a MRSA nose swab. (They hurt and are very uncomfortable.)
• IV put in.
• ID bracelet on
• ID bracelet with tonsillectomy written on it (other surgeries you can mark the area with a sharpie)

    3. Holding Area

• Speak to Surgeon, Anesthesia, Nurse
• Important to tell your doctors if you have any fake teeth, bonding, etc. A mouthguard is sometimes used in tonsillectomies and your bonding can come undone. The bottom of my front right tooth is bonded, but survived the surgery fine.
• Anesthesia noticed my rash (I'll get to this more later)

   4.  Operating Room

• Moved to OR Table
• Given Oxygen, then mask used to sedate you and knock you out
• Surgery took about 20-30 minutes I believe
• During surgery your tongue is clamped so don't be surprised to have tongue pain later
• no stitches, everything was cauterized

  5.  Post-Op Area

• woke up laying flat, had difficulty breathing, throat pain
• had an ice pack on my neck
• was cold and given more blankets (not unusual for me following surgery)
• given cup of ice chips
• given morphine for pain
• given liquid hydrocodone for pain
• felt very swollen
• my rash was already gone from my face!

  6.  Recovery Room

• brought to recovery room with my parents
• peed in the bathroom
• put in upright chair
• given more ice chips
• waited approximately about an hour to be discharged
• COULDN'T believe my rash was already gone! 
• wasn't put on antibiotics
• given script for liquid vicodin for 10 day supply
• told of things to watch for (bleeding, fever, etc)

  7.  HOME

I was home in no time and felt great. I wasn't in much pain. I could talk relatively well, although my tongue was mostly still numb. I was amazed how the rest of my body already felt better. You can see in the pictures I was very happy, but also swollen. I honestly had energy to want to work out or play in the fresh snow, but knew I couldn't. The next 48 hours weren't too bad, but then it got worse. This was one thing I wasn't used to recovering from prior surgeries. I had to get a lot worse to get better this time.